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yr-obedt-cicero · 1 year

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do you know whether anyone was court martialed for being gay during the american revolution? and if so, who were they and what actually happened?

Robert Harry Berlin was able to locate only one court-martial on a charge of sodomy, in his book The Administration of Military Justice in the Continental Army During the American Revolution, 1775-1783. Which was the case of Lieutenant Frederick Gotthold Enslin.

Enslin was christened the day after his birth in the Lutheran Church in Ober Kochen, Wuerttemberg, Germany on 11 August 1755, son of Johann Friderich Ensslin and Magdalena Elisabetha Venningerin. [x] Enslin had arrived in the United States on September 30, 1774, aboard the ship Union, which had sailed from Rotterdam to Philadelphia. He was in his late twenties or early thirties. He arrived alone, according to the ship's records, suggesting that he was single. [x] According to his military records he was living in New Jersey when he enlisted in the Continental Army three years later, in March 1777. Within a few months, he was given the rank of lieutenant in the Continental Army. His assignment was under the command of Colonel William Malcolm and Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Burr. Though little is known of Enslin's earlier life, the exacting penmanship he used on his company's muster sheets and his command of the English language indicate that he was an educated man of some financial means.

In the February of 1778, there were rumors at Valley Forge camp of suspicious behavior between Enslin and a private in the ranks. Soon Enslin was caught in his quarters and was found guilty of “attempted sodomy” with a private. Anthony Maxwell had brought the charges against Enslin to Aaron Burr. As Enslin had tried to refute the rumors, charges of slander were set against Maxwell.

On February 27, 1778, Maxwell was brought before a court-martial charged with; “propagating a scandalous report prejudicial to the character of Lieutt. Enslin.” [x] with Aaron Burr as president. The General Orders reaccorded by Washington claim;

At a Brigade Court Martial whereof Coll Burr was President (Feby 27th 1778,) Ensign Maxwell of Coll Malcom’s Regiment tried for propagating a scandalous report prejudicial to the character of Lieutt Enslin—The Court after maturely deliberating upon the Evidence produced could not find that Ensign Maxwell had published any report prejudicial to the Character of Lieutt Enslin further than the strict line of his duty required and do therefore acquit him of the Charge.

(source — General Orders, [March 3, 1778])

Even though Washington approved a sentence of discharge, Burr acquitted Maxwell on March 10, once evidence was brought forward against Enslin. This began an investigation on the report of sodomy against Enslin and the private. It was officially confirmed that the private entangled in the “attempted sodomy” charge was John Monhart.

John Monhart was from New York, and was born in 1760. He was enlisted as a private in Captain John Sandford's company of Colonel William Malcom's Additional Continental Regiment in the spring of 1777, and he remained with that company.

On the 10th, Enslin was brought to trail with Colonel Benjamin Tupper as president. The General Orders of the 14th of March 1778, reports:

At a General Court Martial whereof Coll Tupper was President (10th March 1778) Lieutt Enslin of Coll Malcom’s Regiment tried for attempting to commit sodomy, with John Monhort a soldier; Secondly, For Perjury in swearing to false Accounts, found guilty of the charges exhibited against him, being breaches of 5th Article 18th Section of the Articles of War and do sentence him to be dismiss’d the service with Infamy—His Excellency the Commander in Chief approves the sentence and with Abhorrence & Detestation of such Infamous Crimes orders Lieutt Enslin to be drummed out of Camp tomorrow morning by all the Drummers and Fifers in the Army never to return; The Drummers and Fifers to attend on the Grand Parade at Guard mounting for that Purpose._

(source — General Orders, [March 14, 1778])

(source — George Washington, [March 14, 1778], General Orders. Varick Transcripts)

The 5th Article 18th Section of the Articles of War being; “All crimes not capital, and all disorders and neglects which officers and soldiers may be guilty of, to the prejudice of good order and military discipline, though not mentioned in the above articles of war, are to be taken cognizance of by a general or regimental court-martial, according to the nature and degree of the offence, and be punished at their discretion.” [x]

The next morning of March 15, 1778, in front of the entire regiment, and the field commanders; Enslin was officially drummed out of camp to fife and drum and became known as the first American soldier to be drummed out of the army for sodomy.

There are two descriptions of the event, Lieutenant James McMichael wrote in his diary;

I this morning proceeded to the grand parade, where I was a spectator to the drumming out of Lieut. Enslin of Col. Malcom's regiment. He was first drum'd from right to left of the parade, thence to the left wing of the army; from that to the centre, and lastly transported over the Schuylkill with orders never to be seen in Camp in the future. This shocking scene was performed by all the drums and fifes in the army — the coat of the delinquent was turned wrong side out.

(source — Pennsylvania Archives)

Ebenezer Wild wrote saying;

After roll call I went on the grand parade, where there was a very large concourse of people assembled. After the guards were paraded, Lieut. Enslin was brought on the parade under a strong guard and his crime was read, which was for attempting to commit sodomy and swearing to false returns. He was sentenced to be drummed out of camp, never to return any more. His coat was turned wrong side outwards, and then he was drummed off the parade and through the camps down to the side of the Skool Kill, where a guard took him and carried him over the bridge and dismissed him.

(source — Journal of Ebenezer Wild; Letter of Louis De Maresquelle; Letter of Bernard Maussac Lamarquisie)

Monhart received a court-martial after Enslin was drummed out, but nothing describes the severity of the court-martial, or whether or not Monhart was also dismissed from the military. He was later a part of Colonel Oliver Spencer's Additional Continental Regiment, and rose to corporal in May 1779, until the spring of 1780. Other than that, there are no other records have been found of him.

There are two curious listings in the 1798 Boston directory; one for a “Enslin Gotthold F.” who lived on “Newbury street”; and one for a “Enslin Frenderick, physician” on “Blind lane.” that may have been Enslin. [x]

A theory about why out of 3,315 prosecutions, only 2 were sodomy cases, Benemann suggest that perhaps the military was reluctant to prosecute private and consensual sodomy, stating that both the Enslin - and another case that was after the war - appear to have been cases of sexual assault. [x]

#amrev #american history #american revolution #queer history #frederick gotthold enslin #anthony maxwell #aaron burr #george washington #john monhart #history #queries #sincerely anonymous #cicero's history lessons

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homomenhommes · 3 months

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THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

based on: The White Crane Institute's 'Gay Wisdom', Gay Birthdays, Gay For Today, Famous GLBT, glbt-Gay Encylopedia, Today in Gay History, Wikipedia, and more … February 22

1732 – George Washington, First President of the United States (d.1799); His stance on homosexuality, which at the time was punishable drastically throughout the colonies, was noticeably — even dramatically — relaxed in comparison to many of his cohorts. His personal correspondence and diaries bear this out.

Washington's letters state that he was less than thrilled with marital life ("not much fire between the sheets") and preferred the company of men — particularly the young Alexander Hamilton, whom he made his personal secretary — to that of women, as his letters attest. His concern for his male colleagues clearly extended to their personal lives. This was especially true of Hamilton, who he brought with him to Valley Forge, giving Hamilton a cabin to share with his then-lover, John Laurens, to whom Hamilton had written passionate love letters which are still extant.

Washington's passion was reserved for his work and for the men with whom he served closely, notably Hamilton and the Marquis de Lafayette. When Hamilton was a young soldier — later to be made Secretary of the Treasury by Washington — he was engaged in relationships with other men, as love letters he sent during the Revolutionary War prove.

Historians assert that passionate same-sex friendships were normative in the 18th century. At the same time, however, sodomy and open homosexuality were punishable by imprisonment, castration and even death, both in and out of the military.

While some have tried to make the case for Washington being gay predicated on his special friendships, there's nothing in his papers that could be considered proof. However, if nothing more, Washington was certainly gay-friendly.

The most succinct evidence for this was Washington's clear "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy when it came to same-sex coupling among his regiments at Valley Forge.

Renowned gay historian Randy Shilts makes the case for Washington's ever-pragmatic as well as compassionate approach to same-sex relationships in "Conduct Unbecoming: Gays and Lesbians in the U.S. Military."

Shilts details how Washington merely signed the order for discharge of a soldier caught in flagrante with another soldier, and suggests that if Lt. Col. Aaron Burr had not forced the issue, the soldier might have remained at Valley Forge instead of being the first documented case of a discharge for homosexuality in the Continental Army on March 15, 1778 at Valley Forge.

The soldier was court-martialed by Burr, but that was the extent of it. Washington did not flog him, imprison him or, as Jefferson had required as part of Virginia law as punishment for sodomy, have him castrated. Washington could even have had the soldier executed. He did none of these things. The soldier just walked away.

What makes this so stunning and an irrefutable proof of Washington's leniency on homosexuality in the military is the context. When Lt. Gotthold Frederick Enslin was drummed out of the corps (literally, because being discharged dishonorably from the military was a dramatic affair that included a solemn drum beat, a tearing of the uniform and a breaking of the sword over the head of the discharged soldier) for homosexuality, it seems that Washington signed the order for discharge more because the case involved fraternization below rank. According to military documents, Enslin had been caught having sexual relations with a private - John Monhart – by Ensign Anthony Maxwell, and Washington frowned upon fraternization among the ranks. Monhart was neither court-martialed nor discharged.

That Washington normally looked the other way with same-sex couples is most obvious in his dealings with Maj. Gen. Frederich Wilhelm von Steuben, the Prussian military genius he enlisted to help him at Valley Forge. Von Steuben arrived two weeks before Enslin's discharge and arrived with his young French assistant, Pierre Etienne Duponceau, who was presumed to be his lover, in tow, making Enslin's subsequent discharge ironic.

Von Steuben is perhaps the best-known gay man in American military history. Although his sexual orientation is rarely mentioned, his role in winning the Revolutionary War was incomparable and second only to Washington's own. But Von Steuben came to Valley Forge as a known homosexual: he had been implicated in relationships with boys and young men and had been expelled from the court of Frederick the Great for homosexual behavior and was on the verge of being prosecuted when he left Germany for France.

Von Steuben's relationship with Washington was close and there were no conflicts with Washington over von Steuben's sleeping arrangements at Valley Forge with his young Frenchman, Duponceau.

Over the decades of his military service, Washington spent his most emotional and life-altering time with other men. He certainly knew of the relationships between Hamilton and Laurens, von Steuben and Duponceau and yet brought none of them up on charges and historical record confirms that these men were indeed lovers.

1857 – The first Boy Scout, Lord Baden Powell was born (d.1941). The British Army lieutenant-general, Baron and writer is considered the founder of the International Scouting Movement through the publication of his book "Scouting for Boys", published in 1908. Scouting is usually considered to have started on 1 August 1907 with a camp run by Robert Baden-Powell on Brownsea Island. Thereafter Baden-Powell began promoting Scouting in Britain, and Scouting for Boys, the first Scout handbook, appeared in six fortnightly installments in a boys' magazine starting in January 1908. Boys began forming Scout patrols and flooding Baden-Powell with requests for assistance. The Scouting movement developed rapidly from here, first through the British Empire, and shortly afterwards around the world.

Robert Baden-Powell's sexuality has been brought into question by his principal modern biographers, who have found a great deal of evidence indicating he was attracted to youthful men and to boys. While early biographies of Robert Baden-Powell tended towards sanctifying him, two important modern biographies, by Michael Rosenthal of Columbia University and professional biographer Tim Jeal, have reached the conclusion that he was probably a repressed homosexual. Baden-Powell "...consistently praised the male body when naked. At Gilwell Park, the Scouts' camping ground in Epping Forest, he always enjoyed watching the boys swimming naked, and would sometimes chat with them after they had just 'stripped off.'"

Jeal cites a revealing account by Baden-Powell of a visit to Charterhouse, his old public school, where he stayed with a bachelor teacher and housemaster who had taken large numbers of nude photographs of his pupils. Baden-Powell's diary entry reads: "Stayed with Tod. Tod's photos of naked boys and trees. Excellent." In a subsequent communication to Tod regarding starting up a Scout troop at the school, Baden-Powell mentions an impending return visit and adds: "Possibly I might get a further look at those wonderful photographs of yours." (According to R. Jenkyns, the album contained nude boys in "contrived and artificial" poses.) However Jeal also shows that paintings of nude boys were regarded as art, being hung in the Royal Academy each year without causing particular stir. Also Tod's photo's were accepted by parents and school authorities until the sixties, when they were destroyed.

Baden-Powell's admiration of the male body was physical, as being the best example of the beauty of nature, and with that of God, the creator: "A clean young man in his prime of health and strength is the finest creature God has made in the world." As an example he told about some Swazi chiefs with whom he met with some gymnastic instructors. The chiefs were not fully satisfied until they had had the men stripped and had examined themselves their muscular development. Baden-Powell himself did not write about or draw (he was a good amateur-artist) males in an erotic sense.

At age fifty-five Baden-Powell married twenty-three-year-old Olave St Clair Soames. Olave "altered her appearance to suit him, flattening her breasts and shearing her hair." Shortly after the marriage Baden-Powell began to suffer from agonizing headaches: these left him abruptly two years after the birth of their third child when he began sleeping apart from his wife: "With every hint of sex removed from a relationship he could get on reasonably well with women."

1924 – Sir John Richardson (d.2019) was a British art historian and Picasso biographer. He was once the lover of art collector Douglas Cooper.

Richardson was the elder son of Sir Wodehouse Richardson, founder of Army & Navy Stores. When he was thirteen he became a boarder at Stowe school, where he was taught something about the work of Picasso and other innovative painters.

At the beginning of WWII, when he was called up, he obtained a position in the Irish Guards, but almost immediately contracted rheumatic fever and was invalided out of the army. During this period he met and made friends with Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud, both of whom portrayed him later. He worked as an industrial designer before becoming a reviewer for The New Observer.

In 1949 he became acquainted with art historian and collector Douglas Cooper, with whom he would share his life for the next ten years.

In 1952, he moved to southern France (Provence) in 1952 with Douglas Cooper to Cooper's newly-acquired Château de Castille in the vicinity of Avignon and they transformed the run-down castle into a private museum of early Cubism. Cooper had been at home in the Paris art scene before World War II and had been active in the art business as well; by building his own collection, he also met many artists personally and introduced them to his friend. Richardson became a close friend of Picasso, Léger and de Staël as well. Back then he developed an interest in Picasso's portraits and contemplated creating a publication; more than 20 years later, these plans expanded into his four-part Picasso biography A Life of Picasso, whose last volume has not yet been published.

In 1960, Richardson left Cooper and moved to New York, where he organized a nine-gallery Picasso retrospective in 1962 and a Braque retrospective in 1964. Christie's then appointed him to open their US office, which he ran for the next nine years.

In 1999, 15 years after Cooper's death, Richardson published his biography (The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Picasso, Provence, und Douglas Cooper).

Besides working on his Picasso biography, he has been a contributor to The New Yorker and Vanity Fair.

Richardson was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to art.

Richardson died in New York City on 12 March 2019, at the age of 95.

1926 – The actor, raconteur, and writer Kenneth Williams was beloved by the British public as much for his outrageously camp persona as for his considerable comedic gifts. (d.1988)

British audiences had long tolerated gay stereotypes in comedy but Williams "pushed the envelope," especially on radio, at a time when homosexuality was only just becoming acceptable to a wider public. His popularity on chat and game shows—where he often displayed a highly amusing, acidulous, and somewhat hysterical temperament—could also be said to have helped to widen general acceptance of non-straight behavior.

The son of a London hairdresser, Williams was born on February 22, 1926. He studied lithography before the war, but was evacuated during the blitz. He performed briefly with the Tavistock Players, an amateur dramatic troupe, but was inducted into the army in 1944. He began his professional performing career in Singapore just after World War II, as a member of Combined Services Entertainments.

In 1948, having returned to Britain, he embarked on a career that would encompass theater, film, cabaret, television, and radio. After a spell in repertory theater, Williams enjoyed critical acclaim as the Dauphin in a London production of George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan (1954) and popular success in three celebrated revues, commencing with Share My Lettuce in 1957.

Williams's vocal talents brought him fame through two classic comedy radio shows of the 1950s and early 1960s: Hancock's Half Hour and Beyond Our Ken.

Especially memorable, considering prevailing attitudes to homosexuality at the time, were the "Julian and Sandy" sketches. Here, Williams played Julian to the actor Hugh Paddick's Sandy: a pair of screaming queens who burbled on cheerfully and provocatively in the gay argot polari to a middle-class audience of millions.

Beginning with Carry On Sergeant in 1958 and continuing through the late 1970s, he appeared in 26 of the slapstick, innuendo-filled "Carry On" films. In these he played characters that were, to a degree that varied from film to film, camp, knowing, and sarcastic. The "Carry On" films stereotyped him as a campy queen and eventually limited his career.

He befriended Joe Orton who wrote the role of Inspector Truscott in Loot (1966) for him and enjoyed holidays with Orton and Kenneth Halliwell in Morocco.

A gifted actor, Williams periodically attempted to play roles more challenging than the campy ones with which he was associated, but audiences seemed uncomfortable with this. His turn as Inspector Truscott in the original production of Orton's Loot (1965) was not well received by the audiences to whom he had become a household name.

Williams was homosexual by inclination but avoided sexual relationships. From his astonishingly frank diaries (published posthumously), it seems clear that he felt safer with the satisfaction afforded by masturbation rather than in an encounter with someone else.

By turns outrageous and conservative, he was plagued by disgust for what he considered to be typical gay lifestyles (promiscuous, disordered, camp, in some way sinful) and admired heterosexual family life. He wrote in his diaries of wanting to find his perfect companion, but carefully avoided involvement with any possible candidates.

Despite the ambiguity he felt about his sexuality, Williams supported the Albany Trust, which aimed to decriminalize sexual relationships between consenting male adults, a reform that was not adopted until 1967.

On April 15, 1988, he was found dead in his London flat. He had taken an overdose of barbiturate washed down with alcohol. The coroner recorded an open verdict on Williams' death.

1932 – Senator and longtime Gay rights ally Ted Kennedy was born on this date. (d.2009) Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in November 1962, he was elected nine times and served for 46 years in the U.S. Senate. At the time of his death, he was the second most senior member of the Senate, and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in U.S. history. For many years the most prominent living member of the Kennedy family, he was the son of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., the youngest brother of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, both victims of assassinations, and the father of former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy.

Kennedy was not only one of the biggest advocates of LGBT rights in the U.S. Senate, (he received ratings of 100 percent from the Human Rights Campaign indicating that he voted in support of equality for LGBT persons) Kennedy was also one of the earliest. In 1971, two years after Stonewall, Kennedy stated his support of laws banning employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. Kennedy was also a supporter of same-sex marriage and was one of the fourteen senators to vote against the anti-Gay "Defense of Marriage Act" in 1996. He also voted against the proposed "Federal Marriage Amendment" in 2004 and 2006.

1966 – Aiden Shaw (born Aiden Finbar Brady) is a British author, musician, model and former gay porn star.

Shaw was born in Harrow, London, on 22 February 1966, the sixth of seven children in an Irish Catholic family. At 14, he began dressing in an "alternative" way, taking an interest in the New Romantic, Punk, & Goth fashion/youth culture scenes that were prominent at that time. At 16 he enrolled on a two-year Creative Arts foundation course at Nelson and Colne College. Then he spent two years at Manchester Youth Theatre. Afterwards he embarked on an Expressive Arts degree at the then Brighton Polytechnic (now University of Brighton), but after only a year he transferred to Harrow College of Higher Education to study Film, Television, Photography & Video. After leaving college he worked for a time directing and art-directing music videos for bands such as Peter Hook's (bass player of New Order) off-shoot project Dead Beat.

Changing his last name, Shaw began working in gay porn in the early 1990s. Since then he has appeared in over 50 films, often working with director Chi-Chi LaRue. In 1991, he won the award for Best Newcomer at the Adult Erotic Gay Video Awards. He retired from the porn industry in 1999 though made a brief reappearance in 2003-04.

In 1991, Shaw collaborated with the New York artist Mark Beard to produce a limited edition publication named Aiden. Beard had been sharing a London flat with Shaw at the time. The book included several portraits (mainly nude and semi-nude) of Shaw, with text written by Beard and Shaw (who at that time was still known by his birth name of Aiden Brady).

The book documents Mark Beard’s experience of living with Aiden, a male prostitute he met while working in London as a set designer. It consists of Beard’s text, his intimate—sometimes explicit—photographs of Aiden, and Aiden’s own words, interwoven Rashomon-like to reveal the coinciding ties and disconnects between sex and desire.

However, it was not until 1996 that Shaw wrote his first novel, Brutal. Also in 1996, The Bad Press published a collection of his poems, If Language at the Same Time Shapes and Distorts our Ideas and Emotions, How do we Communicate Love? He wrote two more novels; Boundaries (1997) and Wasted (2001), and an autobiography, My Undoing (2006) in which he openly discusses his life in the sex industry as a porn star and as a prostitute, his drug addiction (particularly crystal meth), and his HIV status (Shaw was diagnosed HIV positive in 1997). In 2007, Shaw completed an MA in Creative Writing at Goldsmiths University of London, following which he completed a second autobiography, Sordid Truths (2009).

Shaw wrote and produced two albums of music, performing lead vocals on "Whatever" with his band of the same name. He also produced performance artist Nina Silvert on "Nina Silvert does Aiden Shaw".

In 2011, Shaw trained to become a qualified English teacher. He also modelled for GQ magazine in Berlin. It was in this publication that he was spotted by and signed to Success Models in Paris. He currently resides in Barcelona.

1981 – Daniel Choi is a former American infantry officer in the United States Army who served in combat in the Iraq war during 2006-2007. He became an LGBT rights activist following his coming out on The Rachel Maddow Show in March 2009 and publicly challenged America's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, which forbade lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) service members from serving openly.

Choi is a native of Orange County, California, the son of a Korean-American Baptist minister. Choi was very active with extracurriculars during his high school years. He served as student body president, was on the varsity swim team, and was the marching band drum major. During his senior year, after watching Saving Private Ryan, he decided to attend West Point.

Choi graduated from West Point in 2003 with degrees in Arabic and environmental engineering. Choi served as an infantry officer in Iraq with the 10th Mountain Division in 2006 and 2007. In June 2008, he transferred from active duty Army to the New York National Guard. He served as a National Guardsman with the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry, based in Manhattan.

Choi received a discharge letter following his coming out on The Rachel Maddow Show. In response, Choi penned an open letter to U.S. President Barack Obama and the United States Congress. In the letter, Choi challenged the morality and wisdom of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, writing that the policy is "a slap in the face to me. It is a slap in the face to my soldiers, peers and leaders who have demonstrated that an infantry unit can be professional enough to accept diversity, to accept capable leaders, to accept skilled soldiers."

Despite his appeal and a Courage Campaign petition signed by almost 162,000 people, on June 30, 2009, a panel of New York National Guard officers recommended that Choi be discharged from the military. As of February 2010, Choi was serving again in his National Guard reserve unit, the discharge having not yet been "finalized". On June 29, 2010, Choi's discharge was finalized.

Since Choi's coming out, 38 West Point alumni also came out and announced the formation of Knights Out, an organization of West Point alumni who support the rights of LGBT soldiers to serve openly. Choi was one of the founding members and is the spokesperson for the group. The organization offers "to help their alma mater educate future Army leaders on the need to accept and honor the sacrifices of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender troops."

Choi has also spoken at numerous gay rights events, including a march in Los Angeles following the California Supreme Court's affirmation of Proposition 8. On May 27, 2009, he addressed a demonstration of gay activists outside the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where President Barack Obama was speaking at a Democratic National Committee fund raising event. In addition, Choi spoke at the 2009 Pride Rally in New York City and served as a Grand Marshal alongside Knights Out in San Francisco's 2009 Gay Pride Parade.

In February 2010 Choi was selected to be a Grand Marshal of the 41st Annual New York LGBT Pride March by its producers, Heritage of Pride. At the event, Choi led the Pledge of Allegiance at the New York City Council Chambers.

On March 18, 2010, Choi and another ousted military officer, Capt. Jim Pietrangelo, handcuffed themselves to the fence of the White House. They were eventually removed with the use of a master handcuff key and arrested. Choi and Pietrangelo were initially set to be tried for "failure to obey a lawful order" on April 26, 2010. Trial was postponed until July 14, at which time the charges against both men were dropped.

On April 20, 2010, Choi and Pietrangelo again participated in a self-chaining protest on the White House fence with Petty Officer Larry Whitt, Petty Officer (Rtd.) Autumn Sandeen, Cadet Mara Boyd and Cpl. Evelyn Thomas. All six were removed with a master hand-cuff key and arrested

On October 12, 2010, U.S. federal judge Virginia Phillips ordered the Department of Defense to stop enforcing "don't ask, don't tell". On October 19, Judge Phillips further refused a federal government request to stay the order pending appeal. That same day, Dan Choi went to the Times Square recruiting station in New York to rejoin the U.S. Army. His request is "in process."

Following the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" by Congress, Choi was present at the U.S. Interior Department to attend President Obama's signing of the bill on December 22, 2010.

On May 28, 2011, Choi was among a number of both Russian and foreign activists who were arrested by Moscow police when Moscow Pride was held in spite of a ban by city authorities.

1982 – Kimball Allen is an American writer, journalist, playwright, and actor. He is the author of two autobiographical one-man plays: Secrets of a Gay Mormon Felon (2012) and Be Happy Be Mormon (2014). The latter premiered at Theatre Row in Manhattan on September 24 and 27, 2014, as part of the United Solo Theatre Festival. Allen also hosts the recurring Triple Threat w/ Kimball Allen, a 90-minute variety talk show at The Triple Door in Seattle.

Secrets of a Gay Mormon Felon is an autobiographical one-man play written and performed by Kimball Allen. In it, Allen reenacts the circumstances of his life that led him from a Mormon childhood through a life of addiction and, eventually, arrest.

Allen was born and grew up in Blackfoot, Idaho, a religious, conservative region, and he was one of eight children in an orthodox Mormon family. Even when he was small, Allen's strict Mormon parents were concerned by what they perceived as unusual behavior and mannerisms on his part, and his mother preemptively warned him, "Boys don't kiss boys."

At the age of 13, Allen was raped by an older man who befriended him at a mall. To cope with this trauma, which he could not tell anyone about, he surreptitiously turned to alcohol, and eventually drugs. He began living a double life – a devout Mormon on the surface, and underneath a teen struggling with his sexual orientation, the rape trauma, and his growing addictions.

Allen's family moved to Utah, the most heavily Mormon state in the U.S., when he was in his junior year of high school. Allen came out to his parents as gay when he was 19. His parents responded that they couldn't support him in that capacity and that they were repulsed by him. According to Allen, coming out as gay in the Mormon community was "committing social suicide", and he has also written that "I grew up gay in a loving, supportive Mormon family. When I came out, that love and support disappeared."

In adulthood, Allen's drug addictions spiraled further into cocaine, acid, and E, and eventually into a shopping addiction which led him to crave the high of larger and larger purchases. Given responsibility for a corporate credit card, he accidentally used it for a small expense of his own in 2010, and then started addictively embezzling the company's funds for luxuries via the card. The missing funds, totalling around $70,000, were noticed in 2011, and Allen landed in jail awaiting trial. He went through detox in the jail cell, and out of desperation began journal writing to make sense of how he ended up in that situation.

After admitting to his crimes and making reparations, coming to terms with his addictions, and realizing he needed help, Allen continued his journaling during his recovery process. A coherent narrative eventually took shape, and the self-examination eventually became a script, with the additional help of many hours viewing home videos of himself as a child.

The completed play, Secrets of a Gay Mormon Felon, premiered in Kansas City in the summer of 2012. It has also run in Honolulu and San Diego.

Allen's second one-man play, the one-hour Be Happy Be Mormon, premiered at Theatre Row in Manhattan on September 24, 2014, as part of the United Solo Theatre Festival, and due to the sold-out premiere it had a second performance on September 27. It previewed on September 4 and 5, 2014 in Seattle. It is described as "A voyeuristic look into the childhood of a Bambi-loving vegetarian, ballet slipper-wearing, Diet Coke-drinking gay Mormon Boy Scout." The play relates his upbringing "as a fabulous black sheep" in a Mormon family he doesn't relate to, through "colorful narration, private home movies, songs, dance and the occasional acrobatics".

Allen lived for many years in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle. In addition to his writing, performing, and gay activism, he is a media and PR representative specializing in arts and entertainment. Until March 2015, he was also the aquatics director of Seattle's Meredith Mathews East Madison YMCA. He married Scott Wells in October 2016. As of late 2017, they live in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is an Eagle Scout.

2000 – James Chukwueze Obialor, popularly known as James Brown, is a Nigerian internet personality, dancer and cross dresser who was noted in 2018 following a viral video in which he said the phrase "They did not caught me" following an arrest by the police. He was arrested alongside 46 others for being allegedly gay and spent a month at the Ikoyi Correctional Facility. The case against him was later dismissed by a court.

James Brown released a single titled "Hey Dulings" in 2021 after a catchphrase he uses to address his fans on social media.

He claims to have been infected with HIV at birth.

2009 – On this date Dustin Lance Black won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for his work on "Milk."

On accepting the award Black said:

"I want to thank my mom who has always loved me for who I am, even when there was pressure not to. But most of all, if Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he'd want me to say to all of the Gay and Lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches or by the government or by their families that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon, I promise you, you will have equal rights, federally, across this great nation of ours." (Wild applause from the audience.)

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amphibious-thing · 2 years

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Was is the surviving evidence of what it was like for queer people in valley forge?

Great question, from a pantsless flaming shots party to a sodomy trial there is quite a bit to talk about, so I'm going to break my answer up into sections.

Prominent Historical Figures

Alexander Hamilton and John Laurens

If you’re reading this you probably already know who these two are so I won't go into too much detail. Hamilton and Laurens at the time of the Valley Forge encampment were both aide-de-camp to George Washington. The two later exchanged a series of love letters that are still extant. Washington’s aides, or military family, as they were known, lived together, worked together and slept together.

There is notably a myth that George Washington let Hamilton and Laurens share a cabin at Valley Forge and that this is evidence of him being a LGBT ally. However the reality is that the army was tight on space, so many solders were required to share sleeping quarters. Platonic bed sharing was also incredibly common in 18th century America. If Washington was aware of a sexual relationship between the two he left no evidence of this knowledge. I have a ridiculously long post talking about this myth and Hamilton and Laurens sleeping arrangements at Valley Forge if you’re into that sort of thing.

While the fact that men were not only socially permitted to share a bed but often required to share sleeping quarters may at first seem like good thing for men looking to have sex with other men, the reality is these sleeping quarters were often tight, with multiple men in each cabin. The aides (approximately 7-9 men) more than likely all slept in either a single cabin together or 1-2 rooms in the Potts house. For enlisted men the sleeping quarters were even tighter with 12 men to a cabin. This left little privacy for most men at Valley Forge. However men of higher rank often had their own sleeping quarters, for example Washington had a room to himself at the Potts house, only having to share with his wife when she arrived.

Baron von Steuben (and Benjamin Walker)

Baron von Steuben was a Prussian soldier who had left Europe due in part to avoid rumours about his sexual proclivities. He arrived in America on the 1st of December 1777, with letters from the American ministers in France that somewhat exaggerated his qualifications. He arrived at Valley Forge on the 24th of February. While his qualifications were exaggerated his skill was not and he was appointed Inspector General. On arriving in America Steuben spoke German, Russian and French but could only say “goddamn” in English. As both Hamilton and Laurens were fluent in French they were appointed to work with the Baron, and the three men became friends. (The Drillmaster of Valley Forge by Paul Lockhart p31-79)

To train the troops Steuben put together a model company of 150 men, he selected 20 men out if the group who he would teach the manoeuvres to, they in turn would each teach another group of men until the whole model company knew the manoeuvres. These men could then teach others and so-on. The model company were ordered to the first grand parade on Thursday the 19th of March. (Lockhart p97-104 ; General Orders 17 & 18 March 1778) It was on this first day that Steuben met Benjamin Walker. William North (who would later become romantically involved with both Steuben and Walker) tells the story in his Biographical Sketch of the late Baron Steuben:

At the first parade, the troops neither understanding the command, nor how to follow in a changement to which they had not been accustomed, even with the instructor at their head, were getting fast into confusion. At this moment, Captain, now Colonel Walker, then of the 2d New-York Regt., advanced from his platoon, and offered his assistance to translate the orders, and interpret to the troops. If, said the Baron, I had seen an angel from Heaven, I should not have been more rejoiced. The officers in the army who spoke English and French fluently, were indeed very few in number-how few were so capable of giving assistance to the Baron, in the formation of his system. Walker became, from that moment, his aid-de-camp, and remained to the end of the Baron's life, his dear and most worthy friend.

(The American Magazine, Oct 1815, p181)

William Benemann in his book Male-Male Intimacy in Early America comments that while Steuben was “attracted to his “angel” Benjamin Walker”, Walker “does not appear to have been sexually interested.” (p102-103) Considering Walker would later become involved with North his seeming lack of sexual interest in Steuben was presumably not due to a lack of interest in men.

The Pantsless Flaming Shots Party

Much has been made of the pantsless flaming shots party, as it has been dubbed. All we really know of the party comes from Steuben’s secretary Pierre Du Ponceau. Steuben had met the 17-year-old linguist at the house of Pierre Beaumarchais in France. As Du Ponceau was fluent in English and keen for an adventure Steuben brought him along to America.

In his autobiography Du Ponceau recalls the “dismal winter that we spent at Valley Forge”, how they were “in want of provisions, of clothes, of fodder for our horses, in short of every thing.” Despite the conditions they made the best of it.

Once with the Baron's permission, his aids invited a number of young officers to dine at our quarters, on condition that none should be admitted that had on a whole pair of breeches. This was understood of course, as pars pro toto, but torn clothes were an indispensable requisite for admission and in this the guests were very sure not to fail. The dinner took place; the guests clubbed their rations, and we feasted sumptuously on tough beef steaks and potatoes with hickory nuts for our dessert. In lieu of wine, we had some kind of spirits with which we made Salamanders; that is to say, after filling our glasses, we set the liquor on fire, and drank it up flame and all. Such a set of ragged and, at the same time, merry fellows were never before brought together. The Baron loved to speak of that dinner, and of his sans culottes as he called us.

So the pantsless party was not exactly pantsless, however as “sans culottes” literally means “without breeches” perhaps some men did go pantsless.

While we don’t exactly have a guest list, there has been plenty of speculation over who attended this party. Many of the suspected guests are queer men (Benjamin Walker, Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens). That being said we really don’t know who was in attendance besides Steuben and Du Ponceau.

Romantic Friendship

When thinking about what Valley Forge was like for queer people we have to consider the border historical context and part of that context is romantic friendship. In colonial America same-sex romantic relationships were more-or-less socially acceptable so long as they were both a) non-sexual and b) didn’t interfere with heterosexual marriage. In her book Charity and Sylvia: A Same-Sex Marriage in Early America, Rachel Hope Cleves explains:

Romantic friendships did not often provoke a community’s concerns about illicit sexuality, in part because sexual feelings were not strictly coupled with romantic feelings the way they would be later in the nineteenth century. Men and women could experience and express emotional intimacy in a wide variety of relationships … friends who expressed passionate love for each other were free from suspicion unless they gave reasons for concern. Concerns arose when friendships seemed to interfere with marital futures. (p41)

While the idealised concept of romantic friendship was non-sexual, in reality that was not aways the case. Emma Donoghue explains in her book Passions Between Women; “It is crucial to distinguish between the dominant ideology’s explanation of romantic friendship - that it was sexless, morally elevating, and no threat to male power - and the reality of such bonds”. (p122) Cleves explains that “same-sex intimacies” were not “always platonic. Romantic friendship created scope for a wide variety of strong feelings, including trust, pity, love, jealousy, happiness, and eros. Historical research reveals that the intimacy between female friends could extend to sex.” (p41) The same is clearly true for male friends.

It’s also important to remember that just because romantic friendship was generally socially acceptable does not mean it was universally accepted. While some praised romantic friendship as a form of pure non-sexual love others saw the potential for sexual intimacy and condemned it as a gateway to sodomy and sapphism. Donoghue explains that the same pair “could be idealised as romantic friends by one observer and suspected of unnatural acts by another, or even in some cases idealised and suspected by the same person.” (p161)

One example of a romantic friendship between two soldiers during the Revolutionary War is Bulkley and Newman who’s relationship was covered in Anecdotes of the Revolutionary War in America by Alexander Garden. Garden describes their “singular and romantic friendship” in the most flattering terms:

from early infancy united by such a congeniality of sentiment, that it almost appeared as if one soul gave animation to both. Their attachment increased with their years—it strengthened with their strength. As school-fellows they were inseparable; their task was the same, and he who was first perfect in acquiring it, was unhappy till he had impressed it, with equal force, on the mind of his friend.

When the war broke out Bulkley and Newman joined the Army together.

The officers of the Legion, who yet survive, can testify, that through all the perils and difficulties of the Southern War, each seemed more anxious for the safety and alleviation of the sufferings of his friend, than of his own. In action they invariably fought side by side; in the more tranquil scenes of encampment, they were constantly engaged in the same pursuits; their toils and their pleasures were the same.

They were both mortally wounded at Quinby “they fell on the same spot, and, with united hands, reciprocating kindness to the last, expired.”

While I’m unsure weather Bulkley and Newman were at Valley Forge, this goes to show how romantic friendships between soldiers were often seen by others.

Sodomy Cases

In his research into sodomy cases of the time William Benemann found that out of the "3,315 cases listed by James C. Neagles in his index of Revolutionary War courts-martial, only two can be identified as sodomy prosecutions." (William Benemann, Male-Male Intimacy in Early America p72) The Frederick Gotthold Enslin case and the John Anderson case. The Enslin case took place during the Valley Forge encampment. The Anderson case occurred in 1792 after the war had ended however I think it's still of interest.

Frederick Gotthold Enslin

On the 27th of February 1778 a Brigade Court Martial was held. Aaron Burr served as President. Ensign Anthony Maxwell of Colonel Malcom’s Regiment was tried “for propagating a scandalous report prejudicial to the character of Lieutt Enslin”. The General Orders of the 3rd of March 1778, reports:

The Court after maturely deliberating upon the Evidence produced could not find that Ensign Maxwell had published any report prejudicial to the Character of Lieutt Enslin further than the strict line of his duty required and do therefore acquit him of the Charge.

On the 10th of March Lieutenant Frederick Gotthold Enslin was brought to trail. The General Orders of the 14th of March 1778, reports:

The 5th Article 18th Section of the Articles of War reads as follows:

All crimes not capital, and all disorders and neglects which officers and soldiers may be guilty of, to the prejudice of good order and military discipline, though not mentioned in the above articles of war, are to be taken cognizance of by a general or regimental court-martial, according to the nature and degree of the offence, and be punished at their discretion.

(Journals of the Continental Congress, v5 p807)

Enslin was drummed out on the 15th. At least three men recorded this event in their diaries.

Captain Paul Brighham writes:

on 15th Sunday Lt [Inslee?]* was Brake and Deumd out of Camp By all the Drums and Fifes in the army Some thing curious

* This is presumably Enslin as the details match. Edward A. Hoyt who edited and published this could not identify who it was. (see Vermont History, v34, p19, n46)

Lieutenant James McMichael writes:

Ebenezer Wild writes:

Not much in known about Enslin��s life before or after this conviction. Some believe he was “Gotthold Friderich Ensslin” born 10 August 1755, baptised in Ober Kochen, Jagstkreis, Wuerttemberg. A “Gotthold Fried. Enslin” arrived in Philadelphia on the ship Union from Rotterdam on 30 September 1774. One possible clue to his life after is two curious listings in the 1798 Boston directory; one for a “Enslin Gotthold F.” who lived on “Newbury street”; and one for a “Enslin Frenderick, physician” on “Blind lane.” (see A Collection of Upwards of Thirty Thousand Names of German, Swiss, Dutch, French and Other Immigrants in Pennsylvania from 1727-1776, Daniel Rupp, p416 for the Union record)

John Manhart in comparison seems not to have faced any punishment. Born 1760 in Germany, Manhart enlisted as a private in Capt. John Sandford’s company of Col. William Malcom’s Regiment on the 26th of April 1777. He was promoted to corporal in May 1779 and continued to serve until the 20th of May 1780 when he was discharged. After the war he married twice, first to Martha Drake Lyons, second to Rebecca Plimett. (Lineage book National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Vol. 60, p.141; Pension Application for John Manhart; Founders Online: General Orders, 14 March 1778, Note 3)

Anthony Maxwell was promoted to second lieutenant, this promotion was dated the 28th of February 1778, the day after his court martial. The timing makes me wonder if this promotion was a reward for reporting Enslin. (Fonders Online: General Orders, 3 March 1778, Note 2)

There is some suggestion that this was a case not of consensual sex but of sexual assault. A few pieces of evidence seem to suggest this. First is the rank disparity, Enslin outranked Manhart, this opens up the possibility of coercion. Also concerning is the possible age difference. Manhart would have been only 17 or 18 at the time while no one is sure of Enslin’s age. If he was born August 1755 he would have been 22, however some speculate Enslin could have been in his 30′s (see Conduct Unbecoming, Randy Shilts, p11). But considering no one actually knows how old Enslin was it’s impossible to say whether or not he was significantly older than Manhart. There is also the fact that only Enslin seems to have been punished. Logically one would assume if it was consensual both would have been punished. However even if it was perceived as consensual by the court they may have shown leniency on Manhart due to his youth. Its also possible that Enslin was prosecuted because he was seen as the ‘active’ party. There are just too many unanswered questions to make any definitive conclusions about the nature of this case.

John Anderson

Anderson's court-martial, dated 13th of April 1792, is recorded in the orderly books of General Mordecai Gist:

At the same Court held the 9th Instant, was tried-John Anderson private in the Maryland Line-For Sodomy-The Court are of oppinion, that he is guilty of an attempt, to commit Sodomy, and do sentence him to Run the Gauntlope three times thro' the Brigade-the General approves the Sentence, and orders it to take place this Evening at Roll Call. (Benemann p72)

Running the Gauntlope (gauntlet) was a form of punishment where the convicted is forced to run between two rows of soldiers who strike out and attack them with sticks or weapons. While sodomy was punishable by death it was not uncommon for attempted sodomy to be punished by corporal punishment and public humiliation, this punishment doubles as both.

Attempted Sodomy

In theorising why out of 3,315 prosecutions only 2 are sodomy cases, Benemann suggest that perhaps the military was reluctant to prosecute private and consensual sodomy, stating that both "the Enslin and the Anderson cases appear to be cases of sexual assault." While an argument can be made that the Enslin case was sexual assault, I can’t find any information that suggests the Anderson case was non-consensual.

Benemann provides no reasoning why he thinks both cases were sexual assault. Perhaps its the phrasing; “attempting to commit sodomy” (Enslin case) and "he is guilty of an attempt, to commit Sodomy," (Anderson case). While the use of the word “attempt(ing)” may sound like these men were attempting to sodomise an unwilling man, it's important to know that terms like attempted sodomy or intent to commit sodomy were used to describe sexual acts between men that fell short of the legal requirements for a sodomy conviction. Legal requirements for sodomy convictions varied, however often stress was placed on whether anal penetration had occurred. This means that sex acts such as oral, frottage and mutual masturbation were likely to be ruled as attempted sodomy. Many American states still used English Common Law which traditionally required “Penetration and Emission” to be proved in sodomy cases. (See The Student’s Companion or, the Reason of the Laws of England by Giles Jacob, published 1734) Meaning that if ejaculation had not occurred it may have been ruled attempted sodomy even if anal penetration had occurred. Its also important to note that the punishment for sodomy was usually death, while attempted sodomy was usually punished with fines, imprisonment, corporal punishment and/or public humiliation.

An examination into Old Bailey’s records shows several cases of attempts to commit sodomy that are seemingly consensual. In 1745 Richard Manning was found guilty of “wickedly laying hands on John Davis, with an intent to commit the detestable sin of sodomy” and John Davis was found guilty of “wickedly permitting, and suffering the said Richard Manning to lay hands on him, with an intent to commit the said sin of sodomy”. The two men were caught in a Inn by the innkeeper’s wife kissing with their hands in each others breeches.

In 1730 William Hollywell and William Huggins, were found guilty, “the former for an Assault, with an Intent to commit the detestable Crime of Buggery upon the latter, and he for consenting and submitting to the same.” The two had been caught by John Rowden with Hollywell’s “fore Parts to the other's Posteriors, and his Body in Motion” however Rowden could not clearly see Hollywell’s “fore Parts” thus not proving penetration (though form his full testimony it seems penetration likely occurred).

There is also the two 1728 cases of Julius Cesar Taylor and John Burgess, who seem to have been tried separately but for the same incident. Julius Cesar Taylor, was found guilty of “assaulting John Burgess, with an Intent to commit that horrid and detestable Sin of Sodomy.” John Burgess for “assaulting Julius Cesar Taylor, with an Intent to commit that detestable Sin of Sodomy with the said Julius Cesar Taylor.” The two men were seen together at Taylor’s house on the 15th of August.

Witnesses in the Taylor case testified that they saw him:

sit on the Lap of John Burgess, when they committed such indecent and effeminate Actions, as are not to be mentioned: that the Company who resorted to his House, launch'd into such Extravagance, as was scarce ever heard off.

When any Member enter'd into their Society, he was christned by a female Name, and had a Quartern of Geneva thrown in his Face; one was call'd Orange Deb, another Nel Guin, and a third Flying Horse Moll, and that the Prisoner was Accessary in these unnatural Actions.

Witnesses in the Burgess case testified that they saw him and Julius Cesar Taylor:

commit filthy lewd Actions, which will not bear mentioning to a modest Ear; that they appeard equally pleas'd, Julius Cesar Taylor using undecent Gestures, and Burgess suffering them.

With words like “assault” being thrown around in consensual cases, it makes it hard to discern consensual and non consensual cases when little to no evidence survives.

Attempted sodomy could also refer to cases where one man merely propositioned another. For example in another 1728 case Isaac Milton was found guilty of “assaulting Jonathan Parrey, with an Intent to commit that detestable Sin of Sodomy”. Parrey somewhat curiously testified that they met at the molly house; Muff’s House:

That in June last, he first became acquainted with the Prisoner, at Muff's House in White-Chappel. That at the Three-Nuns in White-Chappel, they lay together, when the Prisoner would have had him committed Sodomy with him, but he refused it; that then the Prisoner offered to act the same Crime of Sodomy with him, but he would not suffer him.

While its nice to think that only rapists were found guilty this simply isn’t the case. In fact in consequence to focus being put on anal penetration and ejaculation, rather than consent, cases that were clearly sexual assault could be ruled attempted sodomy and given a lesser punishment or even dismissed entirely (see Rex v. Samual Jacobs, 1817).

Without more information it's impossible to know exactly what truly happened in the Enslin and the Anderson cases, but neither is a clear cut case of assault and its just as likely that these men were being prosecuted for consensual sex.

The Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name

Another reason Benemann suggests for the lack of Sodomy convictions is a reluctance to name the thing; "One way of avoiding mention of the unspeakable crime was simply to call it something else.” Benemann points to cases where the crime committed is described vaguely. There’s Capt. Isaiah Doane who was charged with appearing in parade in a state of intoxication and “Sleeping with his servants in the kitchen” and Lieut. Alden G. Cushman who was charged with “sleeping with the waiter during most of his Residence at Fort Independence”. At Cantonment Washington there was a court-martial on the charge of lewdness in the barracks-described as “great habits of indecency.” Benemann explains; “Courts could use strong but vague terms such as “filthiness,” “scandalous behavior,” or the all-encompassing “conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.”” He also points to two cases that don’t even mention what crime was committed. (Benemann p73-75)

Conclusion

It’s likely that the lack of convictions is multifaceted. Certainly the culture of Romantic Friendship and platonic bed sharing could make it easier for men of a similar rank and social class to hide any sexual aspect of their relationship, while having relative freedom to express romantic sentiments. It's also likely that many people chose to look the other way in cases of consensual sex. Perhaps an unwillingness to question was motivated by an individuals usefulness to the army or perhaps by personal friendship. The severity of the punishment would also motivate men to take great care to hide their sexual behaviour. The standard for sodomy convictions led to cases falling under attempted sodomy, and a reluctance to talk about such things may have lead to many cases being described vaguely. Certainly while it seems no one was executed for sodomy at Valley Forge, at least one man was publicly drummed out of camp for “attempting to commit sodomy”. Even if we assume the Enslin case was a sexual assault case it was tried and prosecuted as a sodomy case, it sent a message to men who desired sex with other men, this is what happens if you get caught.

#queer history #valley forge #romantic friendship #alexander hamilton #john laurens #baron von steuben #benjamin walker #william north #pierre du ponceau #bulkley and newman #frederick gotthold enslin #john manhart #john anderson #this got long opps

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thegayreich · 3 years

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Frederick Gotthold Enslin first man discharged from the Army for Sodomy

Frederick Gotthold Enslin served in the Continental Army under George Washington. Though you’ve probably studied the Revolutionary War throughout your education, you’ve probably never heard the story of the Valley Forge trial involving slander, court martial and exile.

Frederick arrived in Philadelphia from the Netherlands in 1774, according to a ship’s log. In 1778, during a cold winter in the midst of the Revolutionary War, an ensign at Valley Forge began spreading a rumor that Frederick Gotthold Enslin had committed sodomy. At first, the ensign was charged with “propagating a scandalous report,” but he was later acquitted when the rumors were judged to be true.

George Washington himself wrote the report and approved a sentence of exile from the Army. “Lieut. Enslin to be drummed out of Camp tomorrow morning,” records indicate.

And so on March 15, 1778, Gotthold Enslin was forced to march from camp with his coat turned inside-out, never to return. There are no records referencing his eventual fate.

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sir-william-hoe · 3 years

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#enslin #frederick gotthold enslin

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sonofhistory · 7 years

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Frederick Gotthold Enslin: The first man to be discharged from the army for sodomy.

Frederick Gotthold Enslin was involved in one of three possible cases of sodomy documented in the Continental Army.

Little to nothing is known about the early life of Frederick Gotthold Enslin, born in 1740, it is believed he was from a family of high standard living in Europe and he was in possibly southern Germany, due to reports that his command of the English language was outstanding and his penmanship was well formed. Enslin arrived in Philadelphia on the ship Union commanded by Andrew Bryson traveling from Rotterdam, Netherlands on September 30th, 1774. The ship held one hundred and thirty two people on board and according to ship records, Frederick Gotthold Enslin arrived alone, in good health and he was in his late twenties to early thirties. On the ship’s roster, his name appears as “Gotthold Fried. Enslin,”. As soon as he arrived he ad to pledge the "Pennsylvania Foreign Oaths of Allegiance." When the revolution broke out, Enslin was living in New Jersey where he enlisted in the Continental Army in March 1777.

Enslin enlisted, was given the rank of Lieutenant and awaited assignment until he became a part of Colonel William Malcolm’s Regiment in June 1777 under the command of Malcoln and Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Burr, in Ramapo, New Jersey. The regiment made its way to temporary quarters in Valley Forge. Malcolm’s regiment was placed into the 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade after a long encampment at Valley Forge.

By February 1778, rumors began to circulate of suspicious behavior between Enslin and a private in the ranks. Sometime during this month, in Enslin’s cabin that Ensign Anthony Maxwell who shared a cabin with him discovered the lieutenant in bed with Private John Monhart. An official report was given by Ensign Anthony Maxwell to Malcolm on February 27, stating that Enslin was caught in his quarters with a private, and Enslin was guilty of “attempted sodomy with a private.” Enslin tried to dispell the rumors, calling the charges “slander against his character”. Charges were set against Maxwell, and brought before the commanding officer in charge of the issue, which was Aaron Burr, because Malcolm was in New York.

The case began with a charge against him for slander against another soldier. At Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, in February 1778, Ensign Anthony Maxwell was brought before a court-martial charged with "propagating a scandalous report prejudicial to the character of Lieut. Enslin." Maxwell was ultimately acquitted of the charge. Maxwell’s court-martial stated he was “propagating a scandalous report prejudicial to the character of Lt. Enslin.” In his orderly book, Burr later wrote,

“The court after mature deliberation upon the evidence produced could not find that Ensign Maxwell had published any report prejudicial to the character of Lt. Enslin further than the strict line of his duty required and do therefore acquit him of the charge”.

From Founders Archives, General Orders, March 3rd, 1778:

“At a Brigade Court Martial whereof Coll Burr was President (Feby 27th 1778,) Ensign Maxwell of Coll Malcom’s Regiment tried for propagating a scandalous report prejudicial to the character of Lieutt Enslin—The Court after maturely deliberating upon the Evidence produced could not find that Ensign Maxwell had published any report prejudicial to the Character of Lieutt Enslin further than the strict line of his duty required and do therefore acquit him of the Charge.

...

His Excellency the Commander in Chief approves the aforegoing sentences and orders Ensign Maxwell to be discharged from his Arrest & Captain Courtney to be immediately dismissed the service.”

Even thought Washington approved a sentence of discharge, Burr acquitted Maxwell on March 10, 1778 of all charges and began to swarm on Enslin as a formal hearing began. An investigation to the report of sodomy was started. Officially documented, the private who was involved with Enslin in the “attempted sodomy” charge was Private John Monhort.

John Monhart from New York, was born in 1760 and enlisted as a private in Captain John Sandford’s company of Colonel William Malcom’s Additional Continental Regiment in the spring of 1777, and he remained with that company. Enslin was found guilty for the charge of “attempting to commit sodomy.” A second charge was also placed against him, for perjury. Enslin was found guilty in the perjury charge and “in swearing to false accounts, found guilty of the charges exhibited against him, being breaches of 5th. Article 18th. Section of the Articles of War”. The case was then brought before General George Washington. March 14, 1778, Washington quickly looked over the charges, and sentenced Enslin to be dismissed from his post and the military service with “Infamy” and “never to return.”

"...Lieutt. Enslin of Colo. Malcolm's Regiment tried for attempting to commit sodomy ... "His Excellency the Commander in Chief approves the sentence and with Abhorrence & Detestation of such Infamous Crimes orders Lieut. Enslin to be drummed out of Camp tomorrow morning...."

From General George Washington’s Orders, 14 March 1778:

“...At a General Court Martial whereof Coll Tupper was President (10th March 1778) Lieutt Enslin of Coll Malcom’s Regiment tried for attempting to commit sodomy, with John Monhort a soldier; Secondly, For Perjury in swearing to false Accounts, found guilty of the charges exhibited against him, being breaches of 5th Article 18th Section of the Articles of War and do sentence him to be dismiss’d the service with Infamy—His Excellency the Commander in Chief approves the sentence and with Abhorrence & Detestation of such Infamous Crimes orders Lieutt Enslin to be drummed out of Camp tomorrow morning by all the Drummers and Fifers in the Army never to return; The Drummers and Fifers to attend on the Grand Parade at Guard mounting for that Purpose."

The next morning, March 15th, 1778, sixteen days after the arrival of Baron von Steuben, under watch from the field commanders, and in front of the entire regiment, Enslin was officially drummed out of camp to fife and drum and became known as the first American soldier to be drummed out of the army for sodomy. A diary entry, by Lieutenant James McMichael detailed the event:

"March 15--I this morning proceeded to the grand parade, where I was a spectator to the drumming out of Lieut. Enslin of Col. Malcom's regiment. He was first drum'd from right to left of the parade, thence to the left wing of the army; from that to the centre, and lastly transported over the Schuylkill with orders never to be seen in Camp in the future. This shocking scene was performed by all the drums and fifes in the army--the coat of the delinquent was turned wrong side out."

Private Monhort received a court-martial after Enslin was drummed out. Nothing describes the severity of the court-martial, or whether Monhort was also dismissed from the military, jailed or fined but punishment “disorders and neglects . . . to the prejudice of good order and military discipline” . He was later a part of Colonel Oliver Spencer’s Additional Continental Regiment, until the spring of 1780 and rose to corporal in May 1779. No other records have been found to be exact the rest of Monhort’s life but he died in 1835. Nothing at all his known about Frederick Gotthold Enslin’s life after dismissable, thought it was bound to be one sadly of public humiliation.

#john monhort #Frederick Gotthold Enslin #american history #george washington #aaron burr #us history #history #pressles musing #baron von steuben

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